General names
Information is based on dictionaries and other sources. Species list may not be current. Comments and corrections welcome.
Japanese has two words for the divers: アビ and ハム . is written 阿比 in Chinese characters and is written 波武 (literally 'wave warrior'). The etymologies of アビ abi and ハム hamu are unclear. There is a theory that hamu is originally from ウオハミ uo-hami (魚食み) meaning 'fish eater'. Similarly, abi is said to be from ハミ hami (食み) 'eater', also ultimately from the same origins. (See this site and this site).
The Chinese characters used for ハム (波武) and アビ abi (阿比) are thus not related to their etymological origins. They are ateji -- makeshift substitutes that have been assigned in the absence of suitable characters. 阿比 indicates only the pronunciation; there is no attempt to capture a meaning. (In fact, 阿比 is a rather strained attempt to indicate pronunciation -- normally it would be read ahi, not abi). Besides pronunciation, 波武 also attempts to express a meaning ('wave warrior'). The name 阿比 abi has found its way into both Korean and Chinese.
The abi are also known in the Inland Sea area as 'Heike birds', i.e., ヘイケドリ Heike-dori, written 平家鳥. The name is obviously derived from the Heike or Taira clan of mediaeval Japan, which fought a war with the rival Minamoto clan for control of the nation. Their defeat gave rise to many tragic ballads and legends. The connection of the divers with the Heike is unclear, but according to this site, the name Heike-taoshi ヘイケタオシ ('cause the defeat of the Heike') is another name given because Heike soldiers, taking the cry of the divers as human calls, advanced into battle at the wrong time and were slaughtered.
Other names are イカリドリ ikari-dori (イカリ鳥) or 'anchor bird', セトリ se-dori (瀬鳥) or 'shallows bird', and マドリ ma-dori (真鳥) or 'true bird'. The birds are useful to fishermen as a guide to the presence of fish.
Species names
ABOUT THIS TABLE (Hover cursor to see) 
SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN |
JAPANESE |
CHINESE |
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Latin |
Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru |
Japanese |
Other J |
Chinese |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Other Ch |
Korean |
| Gavia | |||||||
Gavia stellata |
Red-throated loon or Red-throated diver Plongeon catmarin Sterntaucher Краснозобая гагара |
アビ (阿比) abi 'abi' |
红喉潜鸟 (紅喉潛鳥) 'red-throated diving bird' |
紅喉潛鳥 'red-throated diving bird' |
아비 abi 'abi' |
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| Gavia arctica |
Arctic loon or Black-throated diver Black-throated loon Plongeon arctique Prachttaucher Чернозобая гагара |
オオハム (大波武) ō-hamu 'large hamu' (hamu written 'wave warrior') |
黑喉潜鸟 (黑喉潛鳥) 'black-throated diving bird' or 绿喉潜鸟 (綠喉潛鳥) 'green-throated diving bird' (Alternative in 1) |
黑喉潛鳥 'black-throated diving bird' |
큰회색머리아비 keun-hoe-saeng-meori-abi 'large grey-colour-headed abi' |
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| Gavia pacifica |
Pacific loon or Pacific diver Plongeon du Pacifique Weißnackentaucher Белошейная гагара |
シロエリオオハム (白襟大波武) shiro-eri ō-hamu 'white-collared large hamu' (hamu written 'wave warrior') |
太平洋潜鸟 (太平洋潛鳥) 'Pacific ocean diving bird' |
太平洋潛鳥 'Pacific ocean diving bird' |
회색머리아비 hoe-saeng-meori-abi grey-colour-headed abi' |
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| Gavia adamsii |
Yellow-billed loon or White-billed diver Plongeon à bec blanc Gelbschnabeltaucher Белоклювая гагара |
ハシジロアビ (嘴白阿比) hashi-jiro abi 'white-billed abi' |
黄嘴潜鸟 (黃嘴潛鳥) 'yellow-billed diving bird' (2, 4) 白嘴潜鸟 (白嘴潛鳥) 'white-billed diving bird' (1, 3, 5) |
흰부리아비 huin-buri-abi 'white-billed abi' |
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Floating Menu by Milonic |
Tool tips by Walter Zorn |
